Improved tanning composition



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAGNUS BENAS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVED TANNING COMPOSITION.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 34,192, dated January 21, 1862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAGNUS BENAS, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tanning; and I do herebydeclare that the followsheep, and other light skins, as well as applicable for tanning heavy skins for the production of kip and harness leather and also soleleather. The skins are, in the first place, prepared by rinsing, liming, nnhairing, fleshing, &c. This preliminary work, being performed in the ordinary way, does not require to be described, as it is well known, and is practiced by all tanners.

I prepare a tanning-liquor as follows: first, ratanhy-root, one ounce; second, tormentillaroot, one ounce; third, granadilla-root, one ounce; fourth,cinchona-bark, one ounce; fifth, cascarillabark, one ounce.

The above-named roots and barks are most suitable for the purpose in a coarsely-ground or rasped state, and from all of the above ingredients a decoction is made with one gallon of soft water, the whole comprising or being considered as one gallon of tanning liquor. This liquor is boiled at a temperature of 220 Fahrenheit for about {five minutes. The boil- "ing is then stopped, the liquor strained, and

the following substances added: best Bombay catechu, one-half pound; alum, one ounce; common salt, two ounces. The liquor is then again boiled at the same temperature as aforesaid until the catechu is entirely dissolved.-

The liquor is then again strained to separate all the impurities the catechu contained-such as sand,leaves, due-and theliquor,when cooled down to 75 Fahrenheit, is ready for use.

Process of tanning calf and light skins.- The skins, after being sufficiently bathed, as usual in the chicken-bath, to remove, by working ott' on the beam, all thelime which may be in them, are rinsed in soft water containing two ounces of common salt to every gallon. The skins are then ready for immerstirrer similar to a paddle-wheel would answer a good purpose. The skins, after having remained for one day in this liquor, are immersed in a liquor formed of two gallons of the tanning-liquor to each skin, with a requisite quantity of soft water to fully cover them. In this liquor the skins also remain for one day, (twenty-four hours,) and moved around in the liquor, as before, as much as possible. From this second liquor the skins are removed to the scouring-table and scoured, but not thoroughly. They are then partially dried-mot so much that they will be hard-and are then taken to the skiving or patent beam and skived, and are then immersed for the third time in a liquor precisely like the second,just described, and are kept in it for one day, (twenty-four hours,) being moved as much as possible, and they are then taken to the scouring-table and carefully and thoroughlyscoured, greased, and dried, and will then have the appearance and all the qualities of French calfskins.

I would remark that in tanning during the winter season the temperature of the liquor should be 75 Fahrenheit, and the mean temperature of the workshop should be about the same. The whole time required by this process, it will be seen, is three days.

Process of tanning kip and harness leather.-- The skins are prepared in the same way as before; but the quantity of tannin g-liquor for the three diflerentimmersionsis to be doubled, just twice as much being used for each immersion in the latter case. The skins remain in each immersion three days, (seventy-two hours,) and must be handled in each liquor every four hours, or four times a day. After having remained in the second liquor for three (3) days the skins are scoured, but not thoroughly, partially dried, and then skived, just as prescribed for the calf-skins, and are then immersed in the third liquor, wherein the skins remain for three (3) more days, being handled at least four times a day, the time in all being nine (9) days. The skins'are then skived and greased in the usual manner, and are ready for use.

Process of tanning soleleathen-The liquor for tanning sole-leather is composed of three times the quantity of ingredients used in the first and second processes, with the exception of the alum and salt, which are dispensed with. The skins, after being prepared as is usual for tanning sole-leather andrinsed in salt-water, are immersed in a liquor composed offour (4) gallons ofthetanniug-liquor to every skin,with as much soft water added as will cover them. The skins remain in this liquor nine (9) days, and are handled every alternate day, and arethen removed to a second liquor made of twelve (12) gallons of tannin g-liquor'for each skin, with a sufficient quantity of soft water to cover the skins. The skins remain in this liquor for nine (9) days, and are handled every alternate day, as before. They are then placed in a third liquor, composed of sixteen (16) gallonsoftanning-liquor for each skin,with a sufficient quanti tylof water to cover them. The skins also remain in this liquor nine for (9) days,

and handled as before, the whole time being twenty-seven days. The skins are then taken to the scouring-table, scoured, rolled, and dried, and are then ready for use.

The advantages obtained by this improvement in tanning are, first, the liquor required for tanning a given quantity of skins is much less in bulk than that required in tanning by the old oak and hemlock bark process, while the cost is not any greater, and the time is very much reduced and leather of a superior quality obtained, as no mineral acids are employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The employment or use for tanning purposes of a decoction of ratanhy, tormentilla, and granadilla roots, in connection with cinchona and cascarilla barks, substantially in the proportions specified, and using said solution with Bombay catechu, alum, and common salt, in the proportions about as specified, and substantially as herein described.

MAGNUS BENAS. Witnesses:

RICHARDSON GAWLEY, JAMES LAIRD. 

